Curtain-stretcher.



No. 687,0I8. Patentedlo'v. l9, l90l.

F. T. GRIFFIN. CURTAIN STHETCHER.

(Application filed mu. so, .1901.

(Ilo Model.)

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

FRANK T; GRIFFIN, OF CHIOAGO, ILLINOIS.

CURTAlN-STRETCHER.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 687,018, dated November 19, 1901.

' Application filed March 30, 1901. Serial No. 53.660. (No model.)

To ctZZ whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, FRANK T. GRIFFIN, a citizen of the United States of America, and a resident of Chicago, in the county of Cook and State of Illinois, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Curtain- Stretchers, of which the following is a specification.

The present invention relates to that type of curtain-stretchers in which a sectional rectangular frame is provided with a series of attach ment-hooks adapted to engage the margins of the curtain to maintain the same in a stretched condition during the drying of such curtain.

The object of the present improvement is to provide a simple, durable, and efficient construction and arrangement of parts with which the curtain is held in a flat plane during the drying operation and which also affords a ready means for engaging the inclividual scallopsof the curtain regardless of the size or number of such scallops, all as will hereinafter more fully appear and be more particularly pointed out in the claims. I attai'n such object by the construction of parts illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in

which- Figure 1 is a plan view of a curtainstretcher frame embodying the present improvement; Fig. 2, an enlarged fragmentary perspective View of a corner portion of the frame; Fig. 3, an enlarged detail sectional elevation through one of the transverse rails of the frame; Fig. 4, a perspective view of one of the attaching-hooks.

Similar numerals of reference indicate like parts in the different views.

Referring to the drawings, 1 represents the usual longitudinal rails of the stretcher-frame formed in sections and hinged together, so as to enable said rails to fold compactly together when not required for use; 2, the clampingplate or other usual appliance by means of which the aforesaid hinged sections composing the longitudinal rails are rigidly clamped and held in an unfolded condition during actual use of the stretcher-frame.

3 represents the usual transverse or end rails secured in an adjustable manner to the longitudinal rails by means of clamping-bolts 4, adapted to pass through any desired pair of the series of holes 5 and 6 in the respective longitudinal and transverse rails.

The construction so far described is usual to curtain-stretchers now in common use and no claim to novelty is made thereto in the present case.

The present invention involves as its mainfeature of novelty the provision upon the next adjacent inner edges of the longitudinal and transverse rails of the stretcherframe of perforated attaching-strips 7, which as so arranged are adapted to lay one immediately above the other and afford a substantially flat plane of attachment for the curtain at the sides and ends of the same. Another part of the present improvement involves the formation of such attaching-strips v 7with series of perforations Sarranged closely together, as shown, in combination with a series of attaching-hooks 9, having a substantially Z-shaped formation, as illustrated in Figs-2 and 3. With such construction a ready and effective adjustment is provided for the series of attaching-hooks 9, employed to attach the curtain to the frame, and so that the said hooks may have engagement with the scallops of the curtain regardless of the size and number of such scallops.

Another advantage resulting from the pres ent construction is that the attaching-hooks 9 can be made of verylight wire, and in consequence can be engaged in a very ready and convenient manner with the curtain, and which has heretofore been a serious difficulty with the heavy engaging studs heretofore in general use in curtain-stretchers.

Having thus fully described my said invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure 0 by Letters Patent, is-

1. In a curtain-stretcher, the combination of a main frame formed by a pair of longi-' tudinal bars arranged in parallel relation and a pair of transverse bars also arranged in 5 parallel relation, the one pair of rails being superimposed above the other pair of rails and adapted to have a sliding adjustment on the top of the same, in combination with a series of metallic attaching-plates secured to the series of rails at the inner edges of the same which are next adjacent to each other and adapted to afford a substantially common plane of attachment for the curtain, and

means for securing the curtain to said plates, substantially as set forth.

2. In a curtain-stretcher, the combination of a main frame formed bya pair of longitudinal bars arranged in parallel relation and a pair of transverse bars also arranged in parallel relation, the one pair of rails being superimposed above the other pair of rails and adapted to have a sliding adjustment on the top of the same, in combination with a series of metallic attaching-plates secured to the series of rails at the inner edges of the same which are next adjacent to each other and adapted to afford a substantially common plane of attachment for the curtain, and means for securing the curtain to said plates, the same comprising a series of closely-arranged perforations in the projecting mar gins of said plates, and intermediate wire hooks engaging said perforations and the margins of the curtain, substantially as set forth.

Signed at Chicago, Illinois, this 28th day of March, 1901.

FRANK T. GRIFFIN.

Witnesses:

ROBERT BURNS, HENRY A. No'r'r. 

